nbedham



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

O. H. NEEDHAM, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MILKING-SHIELD.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 16,361, dated January 6, 1857,

'To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, ORWELL H. NEEDHAM, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Milking- Shield to be Applied to the Human Breast or to the Bags of Lower Animals; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specication, in which- Figure l, is an external view of my improvement, having a mouth piece attached to it. Fig. 2, is a longitudinal section of ditto. Fig. 3, is a longitudinal sectionof ditto with a reservoir attached. In the latter arrangement the milk is extracted by a pump.

This invention consists of a broad ring, or frame, perforated laterally and lined within by a thin sheet of rubber or other elastic or flexible material.

,To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will roceed todescribe it.

A, *igs. l and 2, represents a ring or band which is constructed of wood, metal, or other rigid substance. This ring` or band ,is made of any suitable dimensions and a piece of thin india rubber a, or other suitable elastic material, in the form of a tube is fitted on its inner side, and secured therein by being stretched over and around both ends of the ring or band, as shown clearly in Fig. 2.

B, represents a mouth piece also con-- structed of india rubber or other elastic material, but considerably thicker than the lining a, of the ring or band A, so that'it may have suficient substance to retain its shape or form. The end of the mouth piece is secured to the ring or band A, merely by stretching itsl end over the end of the ring or band.

The ends of the elastic lining a, that are turned over the ends of the ring or band A, do not entirely cover the exterior surface of the ring; the central external portion of the ring or band is exposed and two or more holes b, are made through it, as shown clearly in Fig. 2.

If preferable, al light frame, having openings through its sides, and furnished with an elastic or flexible lining may be employed.

When the shield is applied to the breast, the nipple, shown by black dotted lines, iills the interior of the ring or band A, and as the infant draws or sucks the mouthpiece B, and extracts the air therefrom, the lining a, will be forced inward by the external pressure of the air through the openings or holes, as shown by the red lines Fig. 2, and the nipple will be compressed laterally every time the air is extracted from the mouth piece. By this arrangement, it will be seen that the nipple is subjected to the same action as that produced by an infant when its mouth is applied directly to the nipple and as the action upon the nipple is a natural one no injury can be sustained by the use of my improvement.

The ordinary shields are constructed entirely of india rubber and they are made quite thick, in order that they may retain their form or shape, consequently their elasticity is diminished, or they are so rigid that the nipple is not subjected to any lateral pressure; the milk therefore, is drawn from the breast in an unnatural way and more or less injury is caused by their use.

I am aware that thin flexible tubes of rubber or other material have been made to slip over nipples or teats, and that when an exhaust is applied to such tubes, they will collapse and press laterally or inwardly; therefore I distinctly disclaim such devices.

It is evident that, in devices like those above mentioned, there will be a pressure, not only laterally but upward, and that the pressure will be alike on every part of the teat or nipple.

It is frequently necessary to protect the extremity or other parts of the nipple from pressure; this is particularly the case with mursing women, and also in the milking of cows. A pliable tube, as described, affords no such protection.

The lateral pressure, obtained by my improvement, is confined to a space equivalent to the width of the ring, or to the width of the lining within the ring. Therefore, by altering the position of the shield upon the nipple or teat, the place or point o-f pressure may be changed, regulated, and adjusted at pleasure.

If desirable, the lining may be so secured or fastened within the ring, as to permit pressure at two or more different points upon the nipple or teat, simultaneously. Or, two or more separate rings or bands, without perforations, may be used; the lining being so attached to them that, when exhaustion takes place, the portion of the lining between the rings Will be pressed in, laterally, against the teat or nipple; the other portions of the teat being protected by the bands from pressure.

My improvement may be used with the ordinary breast pump. This modification is shownin F ig. 3. C, represents a glass reservoir to which the suction tube of the pump is applied, in the usual Way, and c, represents a rigid or inflexible ring or band having a thin elastic lining CZ, fitted Within it, the end of the lining being fitted over the nozzle e.

Having thus described my invention,

what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Combining the perforated band or ring, A, or its equivalent, with the yielding lining, a, in the manner substantially as described, whereby an inward pressure against the teat or nipple is produced; the point of Vsaid pressure being changeable at pleasure,

as set fort-h.

ORWELL H. NEEDHAM.

Witnesses:

JAMES F. BUGKLEY, WVM. TUsoH. 

